For casual get-togethers, nights spent inside watching movies, afternoon gossip sessions, or a coffeehouse party at home, try these favorite hot coffee drink recipes. To enhance the experience, try fancy demitasse cups, mix and match china coffee cups and saucers, and use sugar cubes or decorative packages of sweetener.
Mexican Coffee
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups whipped topping (or frozen whipped topping that’s been thawed)
- 4 cups hot, unflavored brewed coffee
Fold spices into whipped topping just before serving. Pour brewed coffee into cups and top with spiced whipped topping. Serves 4 in regular coffee mugs. Serves 12 in 1/3 cup demitasse cups.
Spicy Hot Cinnamon Coffee
- 8 tablespoons red cinnamon candies
- 8 cinnamon sticks
- Cream or milk, if desired
- 8 cups hot, unflavored brewed coffee
For each serving, place 1 tablespoon red cinnamon candies into coffee mug. Add hot coffee and cream/milk (if desired). Stir until candies are melted. Serve with cinnamon stick. Serves 8.
Café Au Lait
- 4 cups unflavored brewed, double strength coffee
- 4 cups of milk, heated to scalding (whole milk produces richest flavor)
- Sweetener, if desired
Brew double strength coffee. Pour equal amounts of hot coffee and hot milk into coffee mug at the same time. Stir until thoroughly mixed, add sweetener, if desired. Serves 8.
French Vanilla Coffee
- 4 cups unflavored, brewed coffee
- 4 cups milk, heated to scalding (whole milk produces richest flavor)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 cinnamon sticks
- Sweetener, if desired
While coffee is brewing, scald milk in saucepan and stir in vanilla extract. Pour brewed coffee into 8 coffee mugs, then pour in milk. Stir and serve with cinnamon sticks.
Additional Tips for Serving Coffee Drinks
- These recipes call for unflavored coffee. How the beans are roasted doesn’t matter much here, but additional flavorings will interfere with the outcome of the recipes.
- The choice of whole milk, two percent, one percent, or skim milk (fat free) can make a big difference in the flavor and texture of these coffee drinks. The more fat in the milk, the creamier the coffee drink. To avoid extra fat and calories, however, one percent or skim milk can be substituted for whole milk.
- Bowls of cream, skim milk, sugar, and artificial sweetener can be placed on a small decorative tray so guests can help themselves throughout their visit.
- Never serve regular caffeinated coffee and pretend that it’s decaffeinated. Some people are highly sensitive to caffeine, and it can give them insomnia, heartburn, heart palpitations, and could interact with their medications.
- For optimal results, use fresh ground coffee or beans, fresh milk or cream, and fresh cinnamon sticks or other extras. One stale ingredient could ruin the taste. Likewise, don’t even think about reheating old coffee to use in these drinks.
- Serve hot coffee as soon as it’s finished brewing for the best flavor. Making coffee ahead of time may be more convenient, but it will adversely affect the flavor.
For more information about coffee, read 12 Surprising Facts About Coffee.
